Michelle Obama Says She Experienced Racism As First Lady

Michelle Obama said she experienced cases of racism while she served as first lady, adding that they exerted a strong effect on her emotionally.

While speaking at the Women’s Foundation of Colorado’s 30th anniversary gathering Tuesday night, Obama said she did not hide her feelings when she was called an “ape” or otherwise described unflatteringly.

Women’s Foundation of Colorado president and CEO Lauren Casteel said Obama “broke a glass ceiling by becoming the first black first lady.”

When asked to describe which one of the “falling glass shards from that glass ceiling cut the deepest,” Obama reiterated that racial slurs and having her body image criticized affected her most.

“The shards that cut me the deepest were the ones that intended to cut,” Obama said.

Advertisement - story continues below

“Knowing that after eight years of working really hard for this country, there are still people who won’t see me for what I am because of my skin color” was another problem she cited.

Obama said she can’t pretend the insults did not hurt, because doing so would give those doing the hurting a free pass.